Low center of gravity, completely inclosed double-deck bus



1,636,505 gully E9 927 w, D. EAIRBANKS LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY, COMPLETELY ICLOSED DOUBLE DECK BUS Filed Dec. 13, 1926 /f UHmlllllllllllll INVENTOR Peienied July 19p 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM D. FAIBBANKS, OF MERGHANTVILLE, NEW J' EBSEY.

LOW CENTER F GRAVITY, COMPLETELY INCLOSED DOUBLE-DECK B'D'B.1

Application filed December 1s, 192s. serial No. 154,e17.

My invention relates to a novel construction of a double deck motor bus or passenger carrying vehicle and more especially to a novel arrangement of upper and lower central, depressed, longitudinally extending .aisles collocated with the seats on the outboard upper and lower floor spaces in such a way that am enabled to entirely inclose the top deck of such a bus and at the same l@ time keep the over all height from the road e bed to the top of the upper deck within the prescribed limits defined by existing municipal ordinances, which is twelve feetv and six inches empty and twelve feet and three inches` under full load, whereby a double deck bus of this character having its top fully inclosed can readily clear existing trolley wires, viaducts, bridges and the like. The `use of automobile busses in the urban au and suburban routes of the large cities has' greatly increased in recent years and the maiority of these busses in use in certain localities have the upper deck open and are capable of seating as many passengers as can be accommodated in the lower portion or compartment of the bus. In inclement weather it is disagreeable to ride upon the open upper deck, ecause of the absence of any rotection from the elements and the carrying capacity of an open upper deck bus is thereby subsequently cut in half in bad weather because the majorityv o f the passengers will' not ride upon the upper ex'- posed deck and sui'er the'consequent exposure. This condition has been remedied somewhat by the introduction of what are known as semi-inclosed top busses, wherein the upper roof sections over the seats are of a height greater than the height lof a seated passenger and less than the average height of a standing passenger, there being a longitudinally upper deck roof opening or passageway in vertical alignment with the upf per deck central aisle, so as to permit the upper deck standing passengers to move about in said upper central aislel with their heads projecting above said roof sections. A bus of this last mentioned type if provided with upper deck inboard curtains will give satisfactory protection in inclement weather but obviously will not afford as complete protection from the elements as a completely inclosed upper deck top of my invention which is provided with the other features hereinafterreferred to.

To the above ends my invention consists of a novel construction of a low` center of gravity, double deck completely inclosed bus, having a lower deck compartment provided with a depressed, central, longitudinally extending aisle and an upper deck compartment having also a depressed, longitudinally extending central aisle with a completely inclosed top for said upper deck compartment, the height from the road bed to said top being twelve feet and six inches when the bus is empty.

It further consists of a novel bus of the character stated,r having upper and lower transverse, front' facing, seats of the conventional dimensionsv to accommodate two persons positioned on each side of the upper and lower depressed aisles. v

It further consists of a bus of the character stated, wherein the distance from the floor of the lower, depressed, aisle to the ioor of the upper, depressed aisle is approximately the same as the distance from the floor of said upper depressed aisle to the top of the bus.,

It further consists in the provision in a bus of the character stated of upper and lower stanchions, which in conjunction with the upper and lowjer trough shaped depressed aisles serve to stifen and reinforce the bus not only longitudinally, but at various points throughout itsv length.

It further consists of other novel `features of construction and advantage, all as will-be hereinafter described in the specification and D0 claims appended hereto.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and 4organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure l, represents a side elevation of a low center of gravity, double deck completely inclosed bus, embodying my invention,

.the lower portion of the side wall being broken away to show the lower, central longitudinally extending depressed aisle.

Figure 2, Tepresentsa vertical section on no line 2-2 Fig. 1, certain of the parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 3, represents a horizontal section on line 3-3, Fig. 2 certain of the parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 4, represents a partial vertical section on line 4 4 Fig. 3.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

1 designates my novel construction of double deck bus, comprising the lower deck compartment 2 and the upper deck compartment 3. rlhe lower deck floor 4 is at the conventional height from the ground or road bed but is provided with a depressed, longitudinally extending, center aisle 5, formed by the de ressed bottom wall or floor 6 and the uprig 1t side walls 7, said floor being coincident with and at the same level as the rear and front entrance and exit floors 8 and 9 at the rear and front of the vehicle respectively. The rear portion of the floor 6 is elevated at 1.0 (see Fig. 1) so as to clear the rear axle 11. The depth of the de pressed lower central aisle is in practice about 9 inches and its width about sixteen and three quarter inches thus affording ample space for the lower deck passengers to move about. The lower deck seats 12 face forwardly and are transversely positioned on each side of the lower central depressed aisle, and are of the conventional dimensions so as to accommodate two people.

13 designates the upper deck Hoor, which also serves as the roof for the lower deck, and is provided with a longitudinally extending depressed, central aisle 14, composed of the bottom wall 15 and the upright side walls 16. The dimensions of said upper deck depressed central aisle 14 are the same as the lower depressed central aisle 5,'said upper deck central aisle extending the full length fore and aft of the bus and being accessible from the lower deck by means of the rear inclosed stairway 17 (see Fig. 4) which may be of any conventional type. 18 designates the upper deck side walls and 19 the upper deck roof, which completely incloses the upper deck and forms a protection from inclement weather. The upper deck seats 20 are arranged transversely and face forwardly and are of the conventional type to accommodate two passengers. The distance between the floors 6 and 15 of the lower and upper depressed aisles 5 and 14 is tive feet and ten inches. vThe distance from the bottom or outboard floor 4 to the upper deck aisle bottom 15 and from the Hoor 13 to the upper deck roof 19, is five feet and one inch, so that the vehicle presents a symmetrical and well balanced appearance, both as=respects the upper and lower depressed central aisles, and the seating corn- Apartments on either side thereof.

rllhe upper and lower decks are provided with windows 21 and 22, respectively and the lower deck front and rear infolding doors 23 and 24 of any conventional type. The drivers seat 25 is at the front left hand of the vehicle. ln order to comply withmunicipal ordinances, the height ot' the top 19 from the ground or road bed in order to safely clear existing trolley wires, viaducts, bridges and the like must not exceed twelve feet and six inches, empty and twelve feet, three inches loaded and the dist-ance from the bottom wall 6 of the lower deck. de-

`,pressed central aisle to the road bed is eight and one half inches unloaded or live inches loaded. By my novel construction l am enabled to produce a low center of gravity, double deck vehicle having a completely inclosed upper deck, and one wherein the rear and front entrance or exit floors 8 and 9 arel on the same level as the floor 6 of the depressed lower central aisle 5, so that a passenger on entering the front or rear ofthe bus can walk to this seat on a vfloor of the same level, it only being necessary to step upwardly upon reaching the desired sea-t. If desired I may provide upper stanchion's 26 extending from the inboard ends of the` backs of the upper seats 2O to the top ot the completely inclosed roof 19 .and similar lower stanchions 27 may be provided extending from .the top of the inboard ends ot the lower seats 12 to the outer corners of the. upper depressed floor 15 of the upper central aisle, said stanchions serving to reinforce and stillen the vehicle structure throughout and in addition aii'ording supports foi-'the passengers to grasp during their ingress to and egress from the upper and lower decks. The depressed aisles 14 and 5 can be stamped` pressed or cast from any suitable light and durable metal, such as aluminum or duraluminum or the like, and may be provided with outwardly deflected longitudinally extending lips or flanges 28, as best seen in Fig. 1, which can be secpred to the edges of the contiguous floors by rivetting, spot welding or other means and it will be obvious thatthe provision of the upper and lower longitudinally extending hollow or depressed aisle members, serves longitudinally to stien and reinforce the bottom and intermediate portions of the vehicle structure.

- As will be apparent from the left of Figures 1 and 4, the incoming passenger walks across the rear aisle and floor portions 6 and 8, which are on the same level and in ascending to theI upper deck mounts the stairs 17 and steps directly therefrom to the `upper aisle bottom licor 15 as will be understood from Figure 4 so that the passenger on entering either the lower or upper deck walks directly upon the aisle Hoor 6 or 15.

My invention will be especially adapted to gas-electric double deck busses, wherein 'i the rear wheels are electrically driven under the control of the driver from the seat 25, as in this construction there is ample room below the lower deck for the depressed, central aisle 5.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by my invention I have provided a novel double deck bus having a completely closed upper deck top,which renders the upper deck passengers immune from the elements, so that in inclement weather the entire upper deck seating capacity can be utilized, which is now almost a total loss in bad weather .where the upper deck is exposed, or only partially pro tected.

It will be further apparent that a double deck bus having a low center of gravity 1s produced, which enables a maximum rate of speed to be maintained, which is especially desirable for long distance or suburban runs, and notwithstanding a low covered upper deck roof is employed to comply with existing municipal ordinances, I am enabled by my novel collocation of upper and lower central depressed central aisles, and outboard seating spaces to provide a maximum standing and seating capacity.

`compartment also having a depressed, central longitudinally extending aisle, a completely inclosed top for said upper deck compartment, and forwardly facing upper and lower deck seats positioned on opposite sides of said upper and lower depressed aisles, the inboard ends of said seats terminating in proximity to the outer walls of said aisles.

3. 4In a low center of gravity, double deck completely inclosed bus, a lower deck compartment having a depressed, central, longitudinally extending aisle, an upper deck compartment, having also a depressed, central, longitudinally extending aisle, and a completely inclosed top for said upper deck compartment, the distance from the bottom lof said lower aisle to the bottom of said upper aisle being substantially the same as the distance from the bottom of said upper aisle to said upper deck top.

4. Ina low center of gravity, double deck completely inclosed bus, a lower deck compartment having a depressed, central longitudinally extending aisle, an upper deck compartment having also a depressed, central, longitudinally extending aisle, and a completely inclosed top for said upper deck compartment, the distance from the bottom of said lower aisle to the bottom of said upper aisle being substantially the same as the distance from the bottom of said upper aisle to said upper deck top, and the height from the outboard lower deck Hoor to the bottom of the upper deck aisle being the same as the distance rom the bottom of said upper aisle to said upper deck top.

5. In a low center of gravity, double deck completely inclosed bus, a lower deck compartment having a depressed, central, longitudinally extending aisle, an upper deck compartment having also a depressed, central, longitudinally extending aisle, a completely inclosed top for said upper deck compartment, and front .and rear lower transverse aisles, the top surfaces of which are on substantially the same level as the top surface of said depressed lower aisle, said front and rear transverse aisles extending for their full area to the side of the bus and forming with said central lower depressed aisle, a depressed lower U-shaped area for said lower deck compartment, whereby steps are dispensed with.

WILLIAM D. FAIRBANKS. 

